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(11) | EP 2 204 245 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Method for assembling heat sink Verfahren zur Kühlkörpermontage Procédé d'assemblage d'un dissipateur de chaleur |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
[0001] The invention generally relates to heat sinks, particularly to heat sinks for electronic devices such as computers.
2. Related art
[0002] Usually, a heat sink used for integrated circuits or electric devices includes a base plate and fins. The base plate is provided with a plurality of troughs for being inserted by the fins separately. Referring to FIG 1, the conventional method for assembling fins on the base plate of heat sink 1 is to form troughs 11 on the base plate 10 first. The base plate 10 is mounted on a tool and aligned with a mold 12. The mold 12 has a plurality of punches 13 driven by a press machine to reciprocate. Each punch 13 is just located between two adjacent fins 14 and strikes the surface of the base plate 10 near the fins 14 to make it deformed so that the fins 14 can be fixed on the base plate 10.
[0003] However, to improve heat dissipation effciency and increase heat dissipation area, the fins 14 disposed on the base plate 10 are dense and a gap between two adjacent fins is very narrow. Therefore, the punches 13 must be very thin. Thin punches 13 do not have enough strength and tend to be broken. Also, front edges of the punches 13 become dull easily.
[0004] EP 0 650 188 A2, US 2005/0211416 A1 and EP 1 7133 120A2 disclose examples of heat sinks and manufacturing methods therefor. In DE 10 239 149 A1, a method for producing profiles is disclosed. More particularly, US 2005/02 11 416 A1 discloses a method for assembling a heat sink with the steps of providing a thermo-conductive base having a plurality of troughs thereon; providing a fin set which includes a plurality of fins wherein the fins are separately inserted into the troughs to form a pre-assembled heat sink; performing a tight connection process to make the troughs firm pinching the fins.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A primary object of the invention is to provide a method for assembling a heat sink which can decrease breakdown of the punches and reduce manufacturing costs.
[0006] Another object of the invention is to abate vibration and noise during manufacturing process.
[0008] To accomplish the above mentioned objects, the present invention provides the methods for assembling a heat sink according to the independent claims 1 and 9.
BRIEF DECRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010]
FIG 1 shows a conventional method for assembling a heat sink;
FIG 2 shows the base of the invention;
FIG 3 is a perspective view of an assembly of the base and fins;
FIG 4 is a top view of an assembly of the base and fins;
FIG 5 shows the process of the assembling method of the invention;
FIG 6 is a side view of FIG 5;
FIG 7 is a top view and a side view of the status that the heat sink is placed on the mold but not assembled yet;
FIG. 8 is a top view and a side view of the status that the heat sink placed on the mold is moving;
FIG 9 shows another embodiment of the assembling method of the invention;
FIGs. 10 and 11 show heat sinks made by a method not subject of the present invention;
FIG 12 shows the heat sink and mold of another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 13 shows the status that the mold is placed on the tool to prepare to press the heat sink, wherein the trough has not been deformed yet;
FIG. 14 shows the trough has been deformed because of compression; and
FIG. 15 shows a motion of the mold placed on the tool for making the troughs deformed in the embodiment of figure 12.
FIGs. 16 to 19 show another embodiment of the assembling method of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Referring to FIGs. 2-4, the method for assembling a heat sink includes the steps of:
- a) providing a thermo-conductive base 20. In a preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the base 20 is, but not limited to, an annular body. A plurality of troughs 21 are provided on outer surface of the base 20. A guiding groove 22 is disposed between every two adjacent troughs 21. A section of the guiding groove 22 is substantially V or U shaped.
- b) providing a fin set 30 which includes a plurality of fins 31, wherein the fins 31 are separately inserted into the troughs 21 to form a heat sink 3.
- c) providing a mold 40 having an inner space 41 for accommodating the heat sink 3 and edges 42 separately corresponding to the guiding grooves 22.
- d) performing a tight connection process, wherein the heat sink 3 is placed in the inner space 41 of the mold 40, a tool 50 driven by a punch press (not shown) pushes the heat sink 3 to be inserted into the inner space 41 (as shown in FIGs. 5 and 6) and the edges 42 are longitudinally inserted into the guiding grooves 22 (as shown in FIGs. 7 and 8), and then at least one side of each the guiding groove 22 is deformed by the edges 42 to make the troughs 21 shrink inward for firm pinching the fins 31.
[0012] FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the invention which includes the steps of:
- a) providing a thermo-conductive base 20 having troughs 21 on outer surface thereof and V or U shaped guiding grooves 22 disposed between every two adjacent troughs 21.
- b) providing a fin set 30 which includes a plurality of fins 31, wherein the fins 31 are separately inserted into the troughs 21 to form a heat sink 3.
- c) providing a mold 40 having an inner space 40 for accommodating the heat sink 3 and edges 42 separately corresponding to the guiding grooves 22.
- d) performing a tight connection process, wherein the heat sink 3 is placed on a tool 50 and the mold 40 is mounted on a punch press (not shown), the heat sink 3 is inserted into the inner space 41 and the edges 42 are longitudinally inserted into the guiding grooves 22 (as shown in FIGs. 7 and 8) by the punch press pushing the mold 40 to move forward, and then at least one side of each the guiding groove 22 is deformed by the edges 42 to make the troughs 21 shrink inward for firm pinching the fins 31.
[0013] By performing a similar non claimed method, various types of heat sinks as shown in FIGs. 10 and 11 can be produced for satisfying different requirements of computers or electric devices.
[0014] FIGs. 12 to 15 show another embodiment of the invention which includes the steps of:
- a) providing an annular thermo-conductive base 60 having troughs 61 on surface of inner space thereof and guiding grooves 62 disposed between every two adjacent troughs 61.
- b) providing a fin set 70 which includes a plurality of fins 71 and an inner space, wherein the fins 71 are separately inserted into the troughs 61 to form a heat sink 7.
- c) providing a mold 80 having radial wings 82 separately corresponding to the guiding grooves 62.
- d) performing a tight connection process, wherein the mold 80 is fixed on a tool 90 driven by a punch press as shown in FIGs. 13 and 14, the heat sink 7 is inserted by the mold 80 and the wings 82 are longitudinally inserted into the guiding grooves 62 (as shown in FIG 15) by the punch press pushing the tool 90 to move forward, and then at least one side of each the guiding groove 62 is deformed by the wings 42 with a depth d to make the troughs 61 shrink inward for firm pinching the fins 71 in the base 60.
[0015] FIGs. 16 and 17 show another embodiment of the invention which includes the steps of:
- a) providing a thermo-conductive base 20 having a plurality of troughs 21 thereon and guiding grooves 22 separately disposed between every two adjacent troughs 21;
- b) providing a fin set 30 which includes a plurality of fins 31, wherein the fins 31 are separately inserted into the troughs 21 to form a heat sink 3, and each of the fins 31 is provided with a bent portion 32 perpendicular therewith;
- c) providing a mold 40 having an inner space 41 for accommodating the heat sink 3 and taper edges 22 separately corresponding to the guiding grooves 22, wherein a portion of each the guiding groove 22 contacting the edges 42 is a slant or guiding brim; and
- d) performing a tight connection process, wherein the heat sink 3 is placed in the inner space 41 of the mold 40, the mold 40 is driven by a punch press (not shown) to make the heat sink 3 inserted into the inner space 41 and the edges 42 are longitudinally inserted into the guiding grooves 22, the mold is interfered by the bent portion 32 so that the mold 40 incompletely presses the guiding grooves 22 as shown in FIG. 18, and then at least one side of each the guiding groove 22 is deformed by the edges 42 to make the troughs 21 shrink inward for firm pinching the fins 31 as shown in FIG. 19. Additionally, after step d), a tool 50 can be used to push the base 20 for releasing the mold 40. Thus the finished heat sink can be made.
a) providing a thermo-conductive base (20) having a plurality of troughs (20) thereon and guiding grooves (22) separately disposed between every two adjacent troughs, wherein the base is an annular body, and both the troughs and the guiding grooves are disposed on an outer surface thereof;
b) providing a fin set (30) which includes a plurality of fins (31), wherein the fins are separately inserted into the troughs to form a pre-assembled heat sink;
c) providing a mold (40) having an inner space for accommodating the heat sink and edges (42) separately corresponding to the guiding grooves; and
d) performing a tight connection process, wherein:
d1) either a tool (50) driven by a punch press pushes and inserts the pre-assembled heat sink into the inner space (41) of the mold (40);
d2) or the mold (40) mounted on a puch press is pushed and moved forward against the pre-assembled heat sink (3) placed on a tool (50), to get the pre-assembled heat sink (3) inserted into the inner space (41) of the mold (40);
d3) thereby longitudinally inserting the edges of said mold into the guiding grooves of said base to deform at least one side of each said guiding groove by said edges and make the troughs shrink inward for firm pinching the fins.
wherein each of the fins (31) is provided with a bent portion (32) and wherein step d2) is
carried out until the mold (40) is interfered by said bent portions (32) of the fins (31) so that the mold (40) incompletely presses the guiding grooves (22).
a) providing an annular thermo-conductive base (60) having inner axially extending troughs (61) therein and guiding grooves (62) disposed between every two adjacent troughs;
b) providing a fin set (70) which includes a plurality of fins (71) and an inner space, wherein the fins are separately inserted into the troughs to form a pre-assembled heat sink (7);
c) providing a mold (80) having radial wings (82) separately corresponding to the guiding grooves (62); and
d) performing a tight connection process, wherein the mold 80 is pushed and insered into, the pre-assembled heat sink (7) thereby longitudinally inserting the wings (82) of said mold (80) into the guiding grooves (62) of said base (60) to deform at least one side of each said guiding groove (62) with said wings (82) and make the troughs (61) shrink inward for firm pinching the fins (71) in the base (60).
a) Bereitstellen einer Wärme leitenden Basis (20), die eine Vielzahl von Mulden (21) und Führungsnuten (22) aufweist, die jeweils zwischen zwei benachbarten Mulden angeordnet sind, wobei die Basis ein ringförmiger Körper ist und sowohl die Mulden als auch die Führungsnuten an einer seiner äußeren Oberflächen angeordnet sind;
b) Bereitstellen eines Rippensatzes (30), der eine Vielzahl von Rippen (31) umfasst, wobei die Rippen separat in die Mulden eingesetzt werden, um eine vorgefertigte Wärmesenke auszubilden;
c) Bereitstellen einer Form (40), die einen Innenraum aufweist, um die Wärmesenke und die Flanken (42) entsprechend den Führungsnuten separat aufzunehmen; und
d) Durchführen eines Prozesses zum dichten Verbinden, wobei d1) entweder ein Werkzeug (50) angetrieben durch eine Stanzpresse die vorgefertigte Wärmesenke in den Innenraum (A1) der Form (40) hinein drückt und einführt; d2) oder die Form (40), die auf einer Stanzpresse montiert ist, gegen die vorgefertigte Wärmesenke (3), die auf einem Werkzeug (50) platziert ist, gedrückt und nach vorne bewegt wird, damit die vorgefertigte Wärmesenke (3) in den Innenraum (41) der Form (40) eingeführt wird; d3) wodurch die Flanken der Form der Länge nach in die Führungsnuten der Basis eingeführt werden, um mindestens eine Seite von jeder Führungsnut durch die Flanken zu verformen und zu bewirken, dass sich die Mulden nach innen verkleinern, um die Rippen sicher festzuklemmen.
a) Bereitstellen einer ringförmigen Wärme leitenden Basis (60), die eine Vielzahl von Mulden (61), die sich innen axial erstrecken, und Führungsnuten (62) aufweist, die jeweils zwischen zwei benachbarten Mulden angeordnet sind;
b) Bereitstellen eines Rippensatzes (70), der eine Vielzahl von Rippen (71) und einen Innenraum umfasst, wobei die Rippen separat in die Mulden eingesetzt werden, um eine vorgefertigte Wärmesenke (7) auszubilden;
c) Bereitstellen einer Form (80), die radiale Flügel (82) aufweist, die separat den Führungsnuten (62) entsprechen; und
d) Durchführen eines Prozesses zum dichten Verbinden, wobei die Form in die vorgefertigte Wärmesenke (7) geschoben und eingeführt wird, wodurch die Flügel (82) der Form (80) der Länge nach in die Führungsnuten (62) der Basis (60) eingeführt werden, um mindestens eine Seite jeder Führungsnut (62) mit den Flügeln (82) zu verformen und um zu bewirken, dass die Mulden (B1) sich nach innen verkleinern, um die Rippen (71) in der Basis (60) stabil festzuklemmen.
a) fournir une base thermoconductive (20) ayant une pluralité de creux (20) dessus et de rainures de guidage (22) disposées séparément entre tous les deux creux adjacents, la base étant un corps annulaire et à la fois les creux et les rainures de guidage étant disposés sur une surface extérieure de celui-ci ;
b) fournir un ensemble d'ailettes (30) qui comprend une pluralité d'ailettes (31), les ailettes étant insérées séparément dans les creux pour former un dissipateur thermique pré-assemblé ;
c) fournir un moule (40) ayant un espace intérieur pour loger le dissipateur thermique et des bords (42) correspondant séparément aux rainures de guidage et
d) réaliser un processus de connexion serrée, cependant que d1) soit un outil (50) entraîné par une poinçonneuse pousse et insère le dissipateur thermique pré-assemblé dans l'espace intérieur (41) du moule (40) : d2) soit le moule (40) monté sur une poinçonneuse est poussé et déplacé en avant contre le dissipateur thermique pré-assemblé (3) placé sur un outil (50) pour obtenir que le dissipateur thermique pré-assemblé (3) soit inséré dans l'espace intérieur (41) du moule (40), d3) en insérant longitudinalement les bords dudit moule dans les rainures de guidage de ladite base pour déformer au moins un côté de chaque rainure de guidage mentionnée par lesdits bords et faire que les creux se rétrécissent vers l'intérieur pour pincer fermement les ailettes.
a) fournir une base thermoconductive annulaire (60) ayant des creux (62) qui s'étendent dans le sens axial à l'intérieur et des rainures de guidage (62) disposées entre tous les deux creux adjacents,
b) fournir un ensemble d'ailettes (70) qui comprend une pluralité d'ailettes (71)et un espace intérieur, les ailettes étant insérées séparément dans les creux pour former un dissipateur thermique pré-assemblé
c) fournir un moule (40) ayant des ailes radiales (82) correspondant séparément aux rainures de guidage (62) et
d) réaliser un processus de connexion serrée dans lequel le moule (80) est poussé et inséré dans le dissipateur thermique (7) en insérant longitudinalement les ailes (82) dudit moule (80) dans les rainures de guidage (62) de ladite base (60) pour déformer, au moins un côté de chaque rainure de guidage (62) avec lesdites ailes (82) et pour faire en sorte que les creux (61) se rétrécissent vers l'intérieur pour pincer fermement les ailettes (71) dans la base (60).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description